The Real Health Podcast

A new Tennessee law is about to change access to CBD, THC/THCA, and kratom - and Dr. Barrett Deubert breaks down what's actually happening, why it's happening, and what it means for anyone using these products. Drawing on his own firsthand experience with all four substances, he walks through the real benefits (sleep, inflammation, nerve pain, focus) and real risks (addiction, anxiety, dependency) of CBD, THC, kratom, and nicotine - plus healthier alternatives like L-theanine, GABA, glycine, ashwagandha, and adaptogenic mushrooms for people looking to dial things back.
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Watch the episode on YouTube here!
  • (00:00) - Intro
  • (00:37) - What's Being Regulated
  • (02:27) - CBD
  • (03:16) - THC/THCA
  • (03:50) - Kratom & Nicotine
  • (05:49) - Tennessee's New Law
  • (07:13) - The Bigger Picture
  • (09:33) - Healthy Alternatives
  • (12:25) - Resetting Addiction & Closing

DISCLAIMER
This content is strictly the opinion of Dr. Barrett Deubert and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to replace medical advice or treatment from a physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding health questions and concerns. Neither Dr. Deubert nor the Real Health Co. takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All audience members, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Creators and Guests

Host
Dr. Barrett Deubert
The founder of The Real Health Co. and the host of The Real Health Podcast, Dr. Barrett is passionate about helping people find true and complete health in any stage of life!
Editor
Grant Crenshaw
Content Producer at the Real Health Co.

What is The Real Health Podcast?

On a mission to share practical solutions to improve your wellbeing, The Real Health Podcast will equip you with evidence-based recommendations essential to achieving a healthy lifestyle. Join Dr. Barrett Deubert as he shares his passion for educating, inspiring, and empowering individuals to achieve “real health for real people”. Breaking down health topics such as: immunity, stress, real food, natural living, and much more to provide you with actionable steps to improving your family’s health.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

So we're talking, about CBD, THC or THCA, kratom and even nicotine to an extent, we'll touch point on. Because these products inevitably are gonna be the first three regulated a lot more to the point where some of them won't even exist. Welcome back to another episode of the Real Health Podcast. Today we're diving into really a different space than we've talked to in the past. We've mentioned CBD.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

We've mentioned things like nicotine in the past, but we're going to kind of create a better broad reach in terms of how is this being regulated and what are the effects of it now that there's a new law being passed in effect today in Tennessee where your ability to get some of these products are significantly hampered and reduced. So we're talking about CBD, THC or THCA, kratom and even nicotine to an extent we'll touch point on. Because these products inevitably are gonna be the first three regulated a lot more, to the point where some of them won't even exist, or else you'll have a misdemeanor charge if you do possess them. So there's some pretty strict guidelines happening with it. And it's like, hey, I think just having this conversation is important because you may not even know the effects that some of these are happening from a beneficial standpoint and also from a negative perspective.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

So just having an awareness of what CBD is, THCa, what kratom is, how it affects the body, nicotine, how it affects the body. In the world where we have more knowledge and understanding than ever, and we're experimenting with certain substances to produce a desired effect, which for me, my desired effect daily comes down to performance. Mental performance, physical performance, feeling good, and being able to kick butt is so important, right? It's like at what extent does it start to create negative effects? Because of all the actually I've had I've experimented with all four of those products in different ways and I can really just from a personal perspective give you understanding of their effects on the body.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

I've taken CBD to help improve deep sleep, experiment with it, looking at my Oura Ring, my Whoop device and saw a noticeable change in deep sleep. But then I've also taken certain products like melatonin and L theanine to create the same effect. I've recommended the use of CBD for certain neuroinflammatory cases and seizure activity and I think it's been super beneficial. And then when it comes to THC, think this has been probably more popularized from a recreational standpoint. Those that are looking really for a significant impact directly into the endocannabinoid system.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

So this is an extract of THC A, what we hear as delta eight or delta nine is an extract of THC A from the hemp plant. And the potency of it when you take it can create very strong effects as if it's the same active compounds of the marijuana plant. And that can create whatever desired effect you want depending upon how much you take. Low quantities is probably more sedative, High quantities it can be hallucinogenic or the sensation of feeling high. And then you have kratom.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

Kratom works on the opioid system, the MU or mu opioid receptors. And it can, in low doses, have a really strong, powerful effect for mental clarity, energy. It's been used for hundreds of years. People have been consuming it for hundreds of years for, energy enhancement. But then on the negative side, when you consume too much of it, it has super strong sedative effects.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

And obviously it's very addictive. All of them are addicting, including nicotine, which people say nicotine's not addictive. Nicotine is extremely addictive. Nicotine is habit forming. When people consume nicotine, yes, it provides in low doses a milligram dose or two or three milligrams max.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

It does provide mental clarity, energy, focus, but then too much can cause anxiety. Too much can create a really strong habit forming experience where your body recognizes, your brain recognizes the timing of which you do it and then the repetition of that timing creates a habit that creates an addictive component to it. And all of those can be addictive. CBD can be addictive, THC can be addictive, kratom can be addictive, nicotine can be addictive. And it's really based on your genes, the amount you're taking, the habit formation around it, the repetition of it, and the length of time.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

So the important thing to note is in low quantities plants have incredible medicinal benefit from helping with neurological inflammation, to brain enhancement, to energy, to productivity, just like caffeine would. But then too much can create anxiety and heart arrhythmias and palpitations and increase anxiety. So what's the right dose? And it's really hard to find that. And then when you add in the addictive component of these plant chemicals, these plant alkaloids, it can inevitably grab you by the back of the neck and take hold of your life.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

And I think that's why some of it can be rightfully banned. I think the law passed in Tennessee is called the Matthew Davenport Law. And it's really specific towards Kratom and all Kratom products. So you won't be seeing that on the shelves starting July 1. When it comes to CBD, the law is really around the THCA or delta eight delta nine.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

You'll still have access to some CBD based products that are regulated within a certain percent of total THC A in the volume of that drink, for instance. There'll still be certain spritz type drinks in the shelf at Whole Foods that'll contain low dose of CBD, which create an extremely low dose amount of THCA. So that'll probably still be on the market in the state of Tennessee. But in terms of stronger, full spectrum hemp based, working within the directly and indirectly the cannabinoid endocannabinoid system, we're gonna start to see that drop off, if not fully eliminate here in the next few days into the few weeks ahead. So the issues around it, I think, are probably somewhat from a financial standpoint.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

I mean, there's some regulation to where only certain facilities can have it, who gets access to it. I mean, there's some questions there, I think, for sure. I I think there is some good into it where it does regulate what kids can get ahold of and not have the ability to self regulate. I mean, I think nicotine is an issue in kids. I think caffeine is an issue in kids.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

Why is it alcohol is an issue in kids? Why is it happening with these products and not others? I think there's some questions to be answered there that are left unanswered. And which one's better to have on the shelf versus others? I think it's hard to even process that question.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

Inevitably, it doesn't feel necessarily fair, especially because I think people are therapeutically using CBD and THC based products for pain relief, for chronic nerve pain, where if you've ever had nerve pain, it's unique, it's different. And people don't want the effects of gabapentin, so they're going to lean towards THC based products then there's some benefit there. And that would be maybe a better option for some than some of the stronger pharmaceutical options. So I think there's a lot of questions to be answered and I don't think we're going to necessarily get those answers anytime soon. But if we look at it as of today, there is a reality that it's gonna change.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

What we're using plants for and how we're using them and the dosing, it's kind of like peptides. It's been used for, you know, since the 70s, 80s, since the 20s really insulin, but 70s and 80s. And peptides are being regulated more now than ever. Why? I don't know.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

It feels like it's money. Feels like it's a sense of, big pharma getting a hold of it and making ton of money like Ozempic for instance and the GLP ones and then seeing access to other peptides that are creating, another effect on some other part of the body. That could be a revolutionary longevity type approach or intervention. So it feels like it's somewhat similar. But that's I think just bringing to your awareness and what these products are doing, the regulation of them, but also helping you with, hey, maybe you're listening to this podcast and you've had CBD or THC based products or creatinine based products or nicotine.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

What are options to support your body? And I think most people would do CBD THC products for inflammation purposes, for brain, maybe sleep, maybe brain health. So what are some alternatives? I think some alternatives to help with anxiety and the sensation of being anxious. One is built on the foundation of healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

Sleep is essential, getting adjusted, healthy nutrition, moving your body, early morning sunlight, reduction of caffeine, all those things are gonna help. What's in addition to that? Probably melatonin at night can be really helpful. L Theanine throughout the day, a hundred milligrams a couple times a day can be super helpful. You can take forms of GABA or glycine that can work on the GABA receptor, which is what is supported a way of the endocannabinoid system is working within the GABA receptors.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

So you can work, with some glycine at night to really help, calm the brain down, get in some deep restorative sleep cycles. And then other things like ashwagandha works really well. It's not gonna have the same effect. It's not going be as strong and as direct, but it is going to help. It will help the nervous system become more resilient, more adaptive, less stressed, and a little bit more resilient.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

So I think there's some potency and some power behind adaptogenic herbs. If you're looking for kind of a mental boost, think lion's mane, cordyceps, rhodiolus, some of those mushroom and herbal plant alkaloids can be really helpful for you. If you're looking for a mental acuity focus, one of my favorite things I take daily for, I would say just overall mental performance is from a company called Qualia. So Qualia Mind has a product that has a bunch of different herbs and vitamins in one product that really does help drive mental performance. So I think that's a really good option for some.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

And then, I think we're still gonna see some CBD products out there and it just may not be the potency that you're traditionally used to, may not be necessarily a bad thing depending upon what you're using it for. But just be mindful that any of those products can have it in addictive forming. So even if it's nicotine and you've had an addiction to it, means you're really, in my opinion, consuming more than three to five milligrams a day, that's an addictive, that's too much. And we need to definitely resensitize our bodies. It's the same thing with caffeine, right?

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

At some point, it's just the value of it is outweighing the, or the risks are outweighing the benefits. So how much is too much? Well, in my opinion, if you're consuming caffeine past two p. M, you're disrupting your sleep and your deep sleep cycle. So the first recommendation would be dropping caffeine past 02:00 and then switching your caffeine sources.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

So consuming caffeine that has more L theanine in it like green tea would probably be a better option for you. In general, our brain is constantly looking for reward. We're looking for our dopamine, we're looking for substances that are gonna, or technologies that can drive our dopamine system. And as we know, can exhaust that system and then get addicted to something that's going to hit it hard. And I think that's where the addiction of some of these products are from.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

Resetting your dopamine, getting out in nature, calming down the stimulants, looking at less technology, all of that will help reset. It may take time, may take a week, two weeks, three weeks to overcome some of these plant alkaloids that you've used for quite a while, but it will be beneficial in the long run. Your brain will learn to adapt again and fire and become efficient. So in this landscape of today, I would say just be mindful that we can become addicted to things really quickly. But there are some really healthy alternatives out there.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

But nothing replaces the foundation of a healthy brain and life through sleep, recovery, training, chiropractic care, nutrition, hydration, sauna, cold plunge. I mean, things are just the non negotiables. Improving mitochondrial function through driving healthy ATP, creatine in the morning, minerals. We're just gonna do an episode coming up on Shilajit, which is a powerful mineral combined with fulvic acid. So I think that's where really in the world of biohacking, those are hard to become addicted to per se in a negative way.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

Whereas when we get into plants, plants, at high doses can create sooner or later a negative effect. We just gotta be mindful of that. So is it good? I'm not sure. Is it bad?

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

I'm not sure. I'm pretty neutral with it. It's just a reality of where we're at in the state of Tennessee, and you'll start to see probably some laws in other states as well, especially more conservative states. You'll start to see those laws take place. So just be mindful that, hey, it may be coming.

Dr. Barrett Deubert:

But at the same time, if you have an addiction to a substance, making sure that you know and don't excuse the reality that hey, these substances can become addictive and and to make sure you're getting help and supporting it through other means. Some of the things we talked about. So that is my just a public service announcement of things that are coming down the state of the end to the state of Tennessee and just be aware of and how to support your body's ability to heal adapt, be resilient daily. Thanks for listening to another episode of the Real Health Podcast.